Valley Forge National Historical Park self-guided driving tour

Free cancellation

Place: Philadelphia

Duration: 3 hours

Language: English

Mobile voucher accepted

Instant confirmation

Do this because

Journey into the cold, seemingly hopeless tale of the American Revolution's darkest days
Visit the remnants of the camp where the Continental Army weathered the long winter of 1777
Explore George Washington's headquarters where he stayed and commanded his troops

What to expect

Kickstart your tour of the enchanting Valley Forge National Historical Park begins at the nearby visitor center and one of the camp's central redoubts where you can also check out a collection of cabins where ordinary soldiers weathered the deepening cold.

From there, you'll head to the camp that was home to a preacher-turned-soldier with a flair for the dramatic: General Peter "Devil Pete" Muhlenberg. Then, head out to the Maine Memorial, where you'll learn about the surprisingly fragile bonds that held the colonies together during the revolution, and the National Memorial Arch, built to honor all the soldiers who persevered in the face of tremendous hardship during the long winter at Valley Forge.

Up next you'll find a statue of General "Mad Anthony" Wayne, one of Washington's less predictable commanders. You'll also get to see the quarters of General Henry Knox, a man who had no military training prior to the war but impressed Washington with his fighting spirit. As you continue towards the Delaware Memorial, you’ll hear about the ills besetting the camp, including waves of desertion which threatened to splinter the army entirely.

Next up on the agenda will be a stop at George Washington's headquarters and the George Washington Monument. This modest structure hides an immensely important history! Hear the truth about what made this man such an effective general.

After you pass Artillery Park, where Henry Knox stationed the camp's heavy weaponry, you'll hear about the unlikely allies who saved the camp from starvation just in the nick of time: the Oneida tribe. The last monument you’ll see along your tour is the Patriots of African Descent Monument, where you'll learn the seldom-told story of the first Black military regiment in the history of the United States.

Important to know

Know in advance:

This is a self-guided tour; no guide will accompany you. The Action Tour Guide app functions as a guide, an audio tour, and a map all in one
Please arrange for a vehicle before you take the tour. You only need to book one tour per vehicle, not per person
After booking the tour, search your email for the phrase "Set up your self-guided tour now." Follow these instructions immediately to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do not wait until you are onsite
Works perfectly without cellular or Wi-Fi with offline maps
This tour has been developed by local guides, curated by creative writers, and narrated by professional voice artists
The audio stories play on their own based on your location. You can start anytime and pause anywhere
Most stops along the tour have animated videos allowing you to visualize what you cannot see, such as snapshots from different centuries or interior rooms
This tour is valid for an entire year - from the moment of booking. You can use it multiple times over multiple trips
This tour is an audio tour guide and not an attraction entrance ticket